Knight26

Planetes is great hard sci-fi, and while it would be more feasible economically and man power wise to use machines to retrieve space junk its doesn't make for good storytelling. SPace junk is problem faced by astronauts today, though not to the extent that the show has. Infact pretty much every space flight gets assaulted by space debris and the international space station is routinely pegged, making a nice ringing sound throughout the station, freaks the astronauts out. I think one of the most interesting things that Planetes shows in regard to space travel is the effect that commerical space travel can/will have on space flight. Once space is opened up to commericial interests you will see the number and extent of missions grow rapidly, right now with NASA and the Russians having a monopoly on space travel very little is actually being done. Were space more opened to commercial development tommorrow we would have missions on the moon and mars ready to go in five years due to corporate competetion. ANd, the safety would go up, just like in early the days of flight. Burt Rutan wrote a very eloquent report about this just prior to the Columbia accident. I know I may get flamed for saying this but it is true, NASA no longer has the vision and drive it once did to go and keep on going strong, and most of that is due to the leadership who is afraid of taking risks and of political pressure. At the same time NASA is able to keep its grip on space development by underselling every single commerical competitor that pokes its head out, but it does this by operating at a loss.

Those engine "nacelles" are actually the main weapon, the Stinger class Light Razer Cannon, a light anti-capital weapon. The open bays, one is opened the other closed to show that they do open and close, they are the torpedo mounts, that is the yellow thing inside the left one. The primary reason this beasty has such large caliber weapons is that its primary us is as an attack or anti-bomber craft. Even fighter shields are thick and a strong punch is needed, but capital ship shields are so thick that most fighters simply cannot attack them. The 90mm Plasers are actually a fairly common caliber even on fighters for a single barrel weapon. Now on Gatling types you are looking at a 45mm caliber. On Fighter scale MDCs the caliber is similar. Thanks for the comments guys.

Two attack shots, one from above, the other below. The topside does need something I admit.

Next update. I added the weapons next will come the details, panels, fins, etc... The two large guns on either side of cockpit are 180mm smooth bore gauss rifles, high speed and penetration, the projectiles are so magnetically charged on launch that they will actually degauss the electronics of a fighter if they connect and don't destroy it in the process. The gun pack on the belly has four 90mm O2 Plaser Cannons, basically its a nod towards the P-61 Blackwidow. I was originally going to mount in on the top of fighter like on the Widow, but then the cockpit interfered with its line of fire. I may add a pair of guns to the top on either side of the cockpit, but that is up in the air. So what do you guys think?

Deep space combat would be based more on sensors then visula tracking. However I see most space combat taking placing near planets since that is what you will be fighting over for the most part. That is why I put so much influence on visibility.

I know Graham asked this before but I did not see a reply, what scale does that cockpit work out to? Also, are all the rest in scale with each other? If so then Roy if fricking huge by comparison.

Ok a quick attack shot, still needs the rest of its weapons and detailling though.

oops. double post.

Here is a slight variation on the design, with the neck flipped. It looks a little more interesting but with the cockpit so low it limits visibilty a great deal, what do you all think? I will likely stay with the other version, or possibly go for an intermediate position, but anything lower then the first version limits visibility.

Well here is a quick update, I've been experimenting with the cockpit adapter neck since I got home from work. I think I've found I like that doesn't destroy the overall look. Let me know what you all think. I will probably mount the gauss rifles under the cockpit where it meets the main fuselage, that or on either side, with the Plaser cannons under the cockpit on the neck.

That is frigging awesome, almost what I imagine for my characters combat armor too, except for the helmet mostly.

Beautiful as always, how about shots with it and your other model VFs and aircraft, for a size comparison?

Ok, I'm freaked out enough by tarantulas, that was just damn... Mental note if my boss ever sends me to the gulf on a Cas-Rep take several large cans of raid and a shot gun.

ALex Ross All the Way

OK, here are the test renders for the new cockpit pod. It is currently not attached I know, I am working on an adapter unit so it can mount to the main fuselage. The cockpit pod is actually common to multiple craft, on other fighters it would be used for the two seat trainers and such. The rear seat is stepped up to give the back seater great visibility, so what do you all think?

really what does the VF-1 screen in M+ TIAS say, I've never seen them?

Interesting idea one klump, and while visually interesting flying an aircraft from off center would be a serious pain. Will have some pics of the new tandem stepped cockpit in a little bit.

Very nice, the wedding dress though is from the never shown wedding sequence from DYRL. Maybe this means we'll get the Max Q-Rau and figures as well. Are the heads replacable is my question, or rather swappable?

Acutally side visibilty isn't that bad in them, not fantastic but not bad at all really. The Tandem designs ahve slightly less side visibilty, but that can be corrected, move the pit up and forward, etc... Then only the WSO has his visibility comprimised, but only just. As for the bottom being more visuall interesting, the rest of the armament has not been attached, nor the panels, fins, equipment pods, etc...

Ok, now for the single Razer, dual cockpit version. Not as fond of this one, brings the torpedo mounts really close to the missile magazine, of course I can always move those around. So which version of you guys like?

Ok, this one is a variation on the dual pod version. I stuck the twin pods in, right next to each other, and then moved the weapon arms almost back to their original position, instead of having the full just in like they currently do. I could push them all the way back, but the torpedo mounts are already encroaching on the missile packs, if I move them back further I will have to move the torpedo mounts. I have worked on a single Stinger version yet, that may come next depending on the comments I get.

Ok, looking at the replies thus far I made two test mods, very rough at this point. The first just replaces the current cockpit with a two seat tandem version of the original cockpit pod. Needs a lot of work in the pit, need to cut the seat holes back out. Other then that it is currently unchanged, except that I ripped the guns off, will reattach later.

Here is the New Version and it's weapon's stats: 2X Stinger Light Razer Cannons 2X Gatling MDCs (maybe Gauss Rifles 2X or 4X) May Add another set of guns as well 2X Torpedos in conceled mounts 2X8: Rotatry Missile Racks If I go back to the original design I may change its weapon stats to match. The current textures are just stand ins. As always any constructive criticizism is appreciated.

Here is the original and it's weapon's stats: 1X Stinger Light Razer Cannon 2X Gatling MDCs 2X Torpedos on semi-recessed mounts 2X6: Missile Racks

Well I've been looking at some more of the older designs, especially the ones where the designs were highly comprimised during development. The Mosquito is probably the worst offender, the original design was far different then what was eventually produced, as such it was never that good, in my opinion anyway. SO I started looking at new options and took a radical new approach at the redesign. The Mosquito is basically a light strike bomber and interceptor, optimized for long range interception, Wild Weasel and interdiction. So which design do you guys prefer, which one should I pursue the rework on and refine.